April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, and the New York State Senate passed several bipartisan bills co-sponsored by Senator Pam Helming to protect animals and strengthen the state’s animal cruelty laws.

“Whether it’s protecting our pets or our people, I’ll always fight for common sense laws that hold criminals accountable and deter crime,” said Senator Helming.

The bills are:

• S.761: Removes the term “serious” from the phrase “serious physical injury” in the definition of aggravated cruelty to animals so that intentionally causing physical injury of any kind would be punishable under this offense.
• S.3431A: Creates new criminal offenses related to animal fighting.
• S.5325: Allows a judge discretion to order consecutive or concurrent sentences when an individual is convicted of multiple counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.

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